


Remorse

by Rin_the_Shadow



Series: To Turn Spark [19]
Category: Transformers (Unicron Trilogy), Transformers: Armada
Genre: Aftermath of Canon Character Death, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Study, Gen, Introspection, because this is Armada Megatron and he would never admit to it, corresponds to like the first five minutes of the episode Remorse, grieving and refusing to grieve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-10-03 21:43:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20459945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rin_the_Shadow/pseuds/Rin_the_Shadow
Summary: As the Decepticons plot their course for Cybertron, Megatron contemplates his recent victory.





	Remorse

**Author's Note:**

> This fic takes place in the aftermath of the Transformers: Armada episode "Crisis" and the corresponding fanfiction in this series. I did not tag this as "Major Character Death" because Optimus Prime's death occurred two fics ago, though I am willing to amend this if desired.

How strange that after centuries of warring with him, Optimus Prime had finally fallen. That was something to celebrate, was it not? At the very least, it should have been a source of relief, knowing his hated rival would no longer interfere with his plans.

It was what he had wanted. He had eliminated the leader of the Autobots and established the Hydra Cannon’s power. Those left on Cybertron would be unable to deny it.

And yet…

Megatron returned to his place in the ship. As he passed him, Demolisher said something about running repairs where the plating was damaged.

Megatron paused. A request for orders? For a moment, it was almost as if it hadn’t registered. “Yes…get the ship in working order, men. We’re going home.”

It was almost as though someone else had given the orders, rather than him.

Was he really such a sentimental old fool that he had lost sight of his goals in favor of a rivalry which had gone on far too long? He was a warrior at heart, but it did not mean he had to be consumed by battle. Even the most tenacious of warriors looked forward to the day when they could rest their weapon.

Or perhaps the warrior in him hated that he had not been the one to finish Prime. For a Decepticon, it was an insurmountable offense to strike down someone else’s opponent without their permission—and he had given it to Thrust, as much as he hated to admit it. But this was not the arena, nor was it a proper duel. It was a war, and rules had to be altered to fit the circumstances.

Though there was one thing which piqued his curiosity. How were the Autobots holding up, now that their leader was no more? No doubt they had a chain of command established for this very thing. But those Autobots had always been soft-sparked, and they would take the time to mourn before continuing. The shuttle had always been Prime’s second-in-command, but perhaps his own former second would try to make a bid for leadership.

Now, _that _was something he would have liked to witness. Starscream would never have been able to go through with it—the power of the Matrix would frighten him off—but if there was one thing the young fool had understood, it was protocol. Particularly in establishing a chain of command, and in defending it. Just how many fights had he started with Demolisher, simply because he had implied he _might _take his place?

Though perhaps his place in the group would change, now that Prime was no longer there to coddle him. Just what would they make of his Decepticon protocol?

No, that would not be the case. That shuttle had defended him during the Mars Incident, and he had not returned to the Decepticons since then. There had been a time when he might have expected it, but he could remember what he had told him before. _Your problem is that you have a conscience_. He may have betrayed him to the Autobots, but Megatron's assessment of him had not changed. He wouldn’t be able to bring himself to leave during a transition. Slag, he wouldn’t be able to leave his _precious Mini-Cons _behind. Sentimental fool.

He frowned from where he rested his hand against his face-plating. There was no reason to dwell on matters that no longer concerned him. If that foolish whelp wanted to waste his time babysitting Mini-Cons, then so be it. If he wanted to throw his life away in a bid for leadership he would never have been able to manage, that wasn't his concern.

“Set the course for Cybertron,” he called out.

“Right away, sir!” Demolisher answered. “Warp setting?”

Megatron didn’t recall just what he had said in response, but it might have been something along the lines of _Use your own judgment, fool!_ Really. Did he have to think of everything himself?

He couldn’t imagine what would have become of his troops, had he been offlined in Prime’s place. How long would it have been before they completely fell into disarray?

Tidal Wave would continue his mission, at least. But without specific assignments, just how far would he manage on that front? Demolisher might do the same. Cyclonus would blindly follow whoever stepped up—Demolisher, or even Tidal Wave, for that matter. But the others? He couldn’t say for certain.

Was that the problem, then? The death of Prime had forced him to consider his own chain of command? Ha! As if a warlord like himself would be disturbed by such a thing! Death was always a possibility. He had accepted that long ago. If the Decepticon cause could not survive without him to champion it, then there was no purpose in fretting over whether it would die with him.

Still, there was no honor in this victory.

That was one thing which would not change, whether his former second was there to spout the Decepticon Code at him or not. Whether his tactician even _remembered _there was a code or not. There had been no honor in this victory, and thus there could be no satisfaction in this victory.

But what was done was done. Once a Cybertronian was offlined, it was no longer the time to consider honor or reason. Megatron had chosen pragmatism—killing Prime at the muzzle of the Hydra Cannon in order to reduce the fight when he returned to Cybertron. He had chosen _results_, rather than hanging onto a pointless struggle with no end in sight. This was the decision he had made, and thus it was the decision he would live with.

If it upset his sense of honor, then so be it.

**Author's Note:**

> Ah, Megatron. Sometimes I don't think you know your troops, or even your adversaries, as well as you like to think you do.
> 
> I had originally intended for this to be part of "Aftermath," but as I was writing, it felt as though it should be a separate fic than the rest of that. It worked the way they did it in the episode because it was TV and because it was at the beginning of the episode, where I didn't feel it worked there in my own since I had wanted to focus on the transition to Jetfire as leader.
> 
> I've started on another fic which takes place post-Aftermath, though it has been slow-going since I returned to my grad program this past week. I'm hopeful to have that one up in the next two weeks or so.
> 
> In any event, please let me know what you think!  
~Rin


End file.
